Legacy Wars: Death Of the Force
by CrystalDCSStorm
Summary: A continuation of the Star Wars the Old Republic Fan Fiction, Legacy Wars! Find out what happens to the Jinobie Legacy and the rest of the galaxy in part 2, Death of the Force.
1. Chapter 1p1 - What The Frak?

All right peeples, Legacy Wars is back! For this story as I did in part 1 I write in multiple points of view. If I'm going for first person of a particular character I'll put their title above each section. No title means its third person. I like experimenting with different things. Secondly, as I did with part 1, there will be an *ahem* adult version (no black screens) up on my website, you'll find the link in my sig tag. Third, I tend to write very organically, story develops itself as I write it. This presents the challenge of carrying things I started which can be fun. Basically I'm telling you this because as it stands right now this story is turning out to be very dark. Attachments to characters could be bad for your emotional health. You've been warned.

As always your feedback and constructive criticism is encouraged.

Legacy Wars: Death of The Force

**Chapter 1: What the Frak?**

_24 hrs after the attack on Tython and the Death of The Emperor_

The Smuggler

_Port Nowhere_

_Cantina_

"Who kicked your ass?"

My grin would have been wider, but I still had one hell of a bruise from my fight with Mekethia. I turned my head, meeting the cocky, affectionate grin of Andronikos Revel.

"Who busted you out of Imperial prison? Oh wait, that was me." I looked away from him so I could knock back my drink, but my amusement was the same. Some men were useful. Some were booty calls. And then there was Andro. I refused to call him Nikki, stupid frakking nickname.

"You bringing up ancient history to change the subject?" He sat down next to me as the bartender refilled my glass. "I heard about what went down on Tython. Why didn't you call me?"

"It was a family matter."

"I'm not family?"

"Nope." I hid my smile in the quick sip I took.

He got so close I could feel his breath on my face. "Bullshit."

I slowly turned my head towards his. Our noses touched. "You get a room or are we doing it right here?"

"Wouldn't be the first time. You sure you up for it?" Concern flickered in his eyes. "I don't like being gentle."

This time I let him see my smile. Dusted my mouth over his. "You couldn't break me if you tried."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He didn't give a damn if I put my drink down or not. Luckily I knew him well enough that I did, just in time for him to toss me carelessly over his shoulder. The movement irritated the frak out of the knick I'd gotten in my side but I didn't particularly care about the pain. He'd make up for it.

-Black Screen-

Sheer instinct woke me up despite how comfortable I was. I was sprawled across Andro's bare chest, his arm around me, his warm hand on my back and in about ten seconds something was going to go wrong.

"Reide-"

"I know."

We were already out of bed and on the floor when the door to the room was knocked open and a hail of blaster fire from the assault droid rained down into the mattress. We both pulled our blasters from underneath the bed and fired back, ripping the big metal machine apart. The droid collapsed with a hiss, and lots of sparks.

We'd no sooner gotten to our feet then an explosion rocked the floating space port.

"What the frak?!" I growled and started throwing on my clothes. Andro was doing the same.

"What trouble are you in now Ria?"

"Me? You sure this isn't about you Pirate Boy?"

"I'm not the one out killing Emperors!"

He had a point. I threw on my jacket, turned on my cybernetic ear implant and connected to the holonet. Andro was at the door, firing at something in the hallway. I pulled my second blaster from the nightstand as another explosion hit, nearly knocking me off my feet.

"This isn't how I intended to spend the night." Andro growled and shot someone else. Considering his temper, it might not have been one of the bad guys.

"Yeah me either." I joined him in the doorway peeking to see if the coast was clear. "You bring your ship?"

"Not this time. Riding with you. Let's go."

We were jogging down a corridor towards the hanger bay when the news cast came through my implant. I ground to a halt. Andro bumped into my back. "What's wrong?"

It wasn't the shock that was keeping me immobile it was the implications of it of what I'd heard. "The... Citadel and Jedi Temple are gone. They exploded."

"What?!"

Had Xerrin and Elliah been in the temple? Where had Laresa's kids been? And if we were getting attacked, then Laresa- "We gotta move."

"You're the one that stopped."

We raced through the spaceport. I had no idea who sent the droids that were inside killing everyone and at the moment I didn't care. I knew we needed to know, but I had to get to my sister first.

I may or may not have loved Andro a little more when I got to the hanger door and realized that he had a data core from one of the droids we'd blasted apart on the way here in his hand. "I'm flying," he said.

"Yeah, okay." Sarcasm dripped from my voice as we both raced to the cockpit. The who was a better pilot was an argument we had frequently.

"You need to call your crew and find your sister. You can't do that if your flying."

I grit my teeth together. "Fine. But you better not get a scratch on her!" I quickly changed course, halting in front of my holo terminal and put in the call to Laresa's ship. "C'mon, c'mon, pick up."

The Jedi

_Tython_

_Kalikori Village_

I was standing in the forest, a few clicks from the Twi'lek settlement. I had close friends there, and a place to stay when I needed privacy. Several years ago I had taken half a dozen young Padawans in need of real combat training and left with them with a young, but capable Twi'lek Captain to protect their settlement and people from the flesh raiders while the rest of the Jedi slowly removed those that could not be rehabilitated to live in peace.

It had helped repair the bond between the Jedi and Twi'leks that shared Tython. But, I wasn't thinking about that particular accomplishment just now. I was recalling what Laresa had said to me just a short day ago. A smile hovered. Wait until I told her that I'd decided to take her advice.

"Hey gorgeous. You wanted to see me?"

I slowly turned, letting my miraluka gaze rest on Doc. He looked tired, but content. He'd spent the better part of the last twelve hours in med bay, helping tend to the Jedi that had been hurt during the fight. He was one of the best combat doctors I'd ever had the honor of witnessing in action. He was playfully arrogant, had relentless ambition and I silently hoped, still in love with me.

I watched his gaze lower and something akin to curiosity take over his face when he saw that the lightsaber I usually carried was nowhere to be found.

"Xerrin? What's wrong?"

"You gave me a speech," I said softly. "Before you asked me to marry you."

Doc went very, very still. I barely heard him when he finally said, "I did."

"Will you say it again?"

"Xerrin-"

I took another step closer and laid a gentle hand on his chest. "Please."

At first he said nothing and I quickly blocked out my sight completely. I didn't want to watch his emotions flare around him while he made his decision. I held perfectly still, waiting. Hoping...

"All right. You win. Here's the deal. I'm good-looking, smart, and charming. I'm a top flight medical specialist who does charity work. I've completely stopped looking at other women, which should be physically impossible. Bottom line..." he stopped.

"I love you," Xerrin finished for him.

Doc's face twisted. His hands came up and closed around my shoulders, as if he was uncertain whether to push me away or pull me closer. "What are you doing Xerrin?"

"I'm not a Jedi anymore," I said quietly.

He looked... shocked. "What? Why?"

"I've spent the better part of my life putting duty before family. I have no regrets about that. I am honored and humbled to have been able to accomplish what I have as a Jedi Master," I lifted my hand and touched his cheek. "But, now I think I'd like a change."

"That better be spending the better part of the rest of your life with me."

I slowly smiled. "If you wouldn't mind asking me again."

I unblocked my sight so I could see him now, and would have laughed at the expression on his face except he'd chosen that moment to kiss me. Something he had not done in a very, very long time. I wound my arms around his neck, holding him closer.

He drew away far too soon. "Xerrin-"

"Yes," I brushed my nose against his and smiled against his mouth. "Yes."

Doc hadn't been able to respond, an explosion rocked the forest and caught us, flinging Doc and I violently backwards.

The impact of my landing stole my breath and sent debilitating pain ricocheting through me. I tried to use the force to hang onto consciousness but it wasn't working. My ears were ringing, my limbs were not responding, and even my miraluka sight was hazy, leaving me unable to focus on anything with any clarity.

I heard someone call out to me, but it was too late. I was swallowed into darkness.


	2. Chapter 1p2 - What The Frak?

The Sith

_Fury Class Imperial Interceptor_

_The Crystal Vanguard_

I paced in a thin line in the main hold of my ship. General Pierce was standing in front of the holo terminal trying to active the locator beacons on my children's ships. "Where are they General Pierce?"

I couldn't feel them. I couldn't feel _any_ of them and there could only be one reason for that. But before Pierce could confirm my fears Assassins appeared.

I don't how they got onto my ship, or who they were working for but they were everywhere. I felt the blade of a knife backstab me. Their mistake was that they missed my heart. My rage exploded, enveloping me in the raw power of the dark side and I didn't bother controlling it.

I wouldn't be able to recall the fight, not the details of it, only that I heard my crew shooting, heard them fighting around me but that was a very faint backdrop to the screams as I dealt death to every single fool that tried to attack me. When the last one fell, the rush of adrenaline faded and I collapsed to one knee. Jaesa was down. So was Pierce. I didn't know if they were dead or alive.

I heard one of the Assassins groan and jerked my gaze to his body. Sticking out my shaking hand I used the force to yank him to me. I put my hand around his throat and squeezed. "Who..." I gasped out. He said nothing and my anger surged again. It gave me the strength to roar into his face. "WHO!"

"Xerrin," he choked out.

That couldn't be right. He couldn't possibly be telling me- I tightened my grip. "My sister did not send you," I growled.

"Yes... yes... not... who you think...please..."

My rage became so great without a second thought I crushed his windpipe with the strength of my hand alone.

Xerrin couldn't have. It was impossible-

I collapsed.

_Fury Class Imperial Interceptor  
The Savage Sigil_

Vanceto propped a shoulder in the archway. Vette stood in the cargo hold a clipboard in her hand, taking inventory. She was humming to herself, something distinctly Twi'lek. She did not notice his presence and Vanceto took full advantage of it. A smile softened the hard, Sith like features of his face as he folded his arms over his chest and drew his dark brown eyes over her.

She must have finally felt his stare because she abruptly stopped singing and whirled around. Vanceto merely grinned at her. "Hello."

She shot him a heatless glare. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I wasn't sneaking," he said easily. She was beautiful. He loved her. He needed to tell her at once. "Vette-"

"Don't look at me like that either." She quickly turned around again.

Vanceto quirked an amused brow. He uncoiled from the door, coming slowly towards her. Stalking her. "Why can't I?"

"Because. We're friends. Drinking buddies. Your mom is one of my closest friends and I don't think she'd approve of anything else. Plus, you're a Sith Lord. I'm nothing special."

He took hold of her, abruptly turned her to face him with his hands on her arms and pressed his mouth against hers. She was shocked and stiff against him for the first few seconds. He softened his hold, drew his arms around her and slowly pulled her closer to him. That did it. Her fingers gripped the front of his robe, bunching it in her grasp, and her quick, witty little mouth became the most passionate thing he'd ever tasted in his life. He cupped his fingers around the back of her neck, tilting his head and deepened his kiss.

Eventually he broke away, his breath as heavy as hers. Vette still had her eyes closed. Despite the fact that she was flushed and warm, she still tried to change the subject. "Y-You fought really well yesterday. You looked... powerful. Laresa would have been proud to see it."

Her words filled him with pride. He did not diverge from his current path though. "Marry me, Vette?" He asked quietly.

Her eyes shot open. "What?"

"I will have you know, there are only two women I will kneel before." Vanceto dropped down, looking up at her. Her eyes were huge. "Marry me."

"Stop that. Get up. What are you doing?" Vette hissed at him.

"I'm proposing. And if you don't say yes, I will kiss you until you do."

She blushed furiously. "Van..."

"I love you Vette. And you love me. Say yes."

She proved his words with the expression that moved across her face.

But before she could give him an answer, his ship was attacked.

The Bounty Hunter

_Coruscant_

_Silent Sun Cantina_

Mako was standing in front of the bar. I was crowded behind her, her back against my chest, my arms resting on the edge of the bar on either side of her, hemming her in the way she liked. She curled a hand around my arm, occasionally moving to the music that was playing. The place was loud tonight, they were partying like the Emperor was dead, because he was.

That wasn't why we were there though. Agent Izak had information on Mako's parents. Before we'd left Tython, Aunt Xerrin had told Mako to meet Izak here so, before I stole my wife away on our well deserved honeymoon we made the pit stop.

"Where do you want to go after this?" I asked her.

"Anywhere but republic or empire space. Let's go find an abandoned planet with a beach or something," Mako tilted her head back against my chest to look up at me.

"Only if you promise to sun bathe in the nude," I grinned lecherously down at her.

She blushed and I broke into laughter. "Deal," she said. "I love you."

I kissed her forehead, pulling my arm from the bar so I could wrap it around her. "Love you too. Want to dance Mrs. Jinobie?"

"I'd love t-"

I never even sensed it coming and I should have. In retrospect it was something I would never forgive myself for. I'd find out later the sniper wasn't even targeting Mako, she was just in the way. They were after me.

The blast from the rifle punched a hole right through Mako and slammed into me. The crowd screamed and I would have too but I was knocked flat on my back. Mako collapsed on top of me. She was limp, unmoving. I couldn't even move, a hot burning pain rocked through my system, spreading like a wildfire through my lungs and across my chest.

"Mako..." I gasped. She wasn't moving. "MAKO!" Nothing. There was panic, chaos all around us. I tried to reach for her but I couldn't move and consciousness was rapidly being taken from me. I tried to say her name again, to do fraking _something_ but the last thing I saw was a masked face standing over me.

Then, nothing.


	3. Chapter 2p1 - An Enemy Revealed

Chapter 2: An Enemy Revealed

_Tython_

_Kalikori Village_

"Doctor Kimble? Doctor Kimble can you hear me?"

Doc came awake with a start and immediately grabbed his head.

"Easy, easy. You have a concussion," Elliah placed a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. It was barely any kind of organized chaos around them. The Twi'lik village was nearly completely destroyed. Survivors rushed around trying to help the wounded or put out fires. Nadia stood with a group, using the force to get debris off of others trapped inside one of the buildings.

"Where's... where's Xerrin?" Doc looked around quickly, fear punching him in the gut.

"I was hoping you could tell me. You saw nothing before the explosion?" Elliah canted his head at him.

"No. Nothing. What the hell happened Elliah?"

Doc already knew it was bad, but now he knew it was really bad because in all the years he'd known Elliah, he'd never seen the grave expression that came over his face. "The Jedi temple is destroyed. Most of the Jedi Council has been killed."

"What? What the hell is going on? Who did this?"

"We don't know. Not yet. Can you stand?"

Doc nodded and with Elliah's help climbed to his feet. "Where the hell could she be, Elliah? Can't you use the force to find her?"

Elliah frowned deeply. "I've tried. I've reached for Laresa too. My connection to them is... blocked."

Doc couldn't breathe. He was going to throw up. "What do you mean it's blocked? Does that mean they're dead?"

"It may." Elliah said quietly, honestly. "But I sense something else at play here."

"Oh god..." Doc fell back down to the ground. "She was going too... we were going too... "

"I know. We both took our leave of the Jedi Order." Elliah reached down and pulled Doc back to his feet. "Don't lose hope yet, Doctor. There are those that need your help. I must find Laresa, and my children and discover what has transpired here."

"I'm going with you," Doc said determinedly.

Elliah put a staying hand on his shoulder. "Help them Doctor. Please. When I know more I'll find you. You have my word."

The Jedi

_Location Classified_

"It is time to wake up now Master Jedi."

Slowly I opened my eyes. It took another moment for my vision to clear and when it did, I could not contain my surprise. There was a Voss standing in front of me. He wrote the traditional robes of a mystic, but I had never seen him before. I slowly dragged my gaze around the room, quickly recognizing the architecture. Was I on Voss? How had I gotten here? Why was I here?

I looked back at the mystic who watched me with cold patience. "Who are you?" I asked.

"For too long the Empire and Republic have tried to sway us to your cause," he paced in a neat little line in front of me while he spoke. "Outsiders bring destruction and death to our doors. The mystics have spoken and it has been decided. You will both fall, and Voss will survive."

"I have met your mystics, I-"

He stopped pacing and met my gaze with a chilling sincerity. "Never would the Voss allow an Outsider to meet the real Mystics."

He wasn't lying, I could feel it, and slowly the enormity of the situation bore down on me. The Voss had been an extremely difficult people to negotiate with. As an enemy the Voss would be a greater threat than the Sith. "The Emperor has been defeated. This conflict will soon end. Peace is coming-"

"The Empire declared open war on the Republic. As it should."

What? When had we gone to war? Was that why Master Satele had gone to Coruscant and not been there when I'd given my resignation to the Jedi Council? "Let me go, let me go back and try and stop this-"

"You could," The Voss slowly nodded and began his methodical pacing again. "Together you would have bridged gaps. The bond of your family is powerful. But, still Outsiders would be on Voss, corrupting our ways. War would come again."

I had never been a fan of our presence on Voss, but the Empire had been here so we'd had little choice. Now the consequences of those actions was rearing their ugly head tenfold, and I realized the implications of what this mystic was telling me. It was unheard of for a Sith and a Jedi to be as close as Laresa and I would be again as we repaired the divide between us and we'd been well on our way. Apparently, together, we might have stopped the war that suddenly had come. But now this Voss was going to try to prevent that just to keep both the Empire and Republic off their planet.

I couldn't say I didn't understand, but they were going about this all wrong. "You don't have to do this. If you let me go, I will convince the republic to leave Voss in peace. Laresa could force the Empire's hand as well, she's powerful enough. We'd leave you alone-"

"You do not see. Mystics see. Mystic's see destruction, unless the Force is destroyed."

I went very still. "I don't understand."

"You may not. Either way, you are to be used."

I tested the strength of my binds and realized with some frustration I wouldn't be able to break them. Pulling my gaze from the Voss in front of me, I swept my vision around the room again, taking much more careful stock now. In the corner was another Voss, his head bowed, his eyes closed, clearly meditating and powerfully. A black and purple cloud surrounded him. It's effects were strange... blocking. I couldn't reach out to Laresa, Reide, or Elliah. There was nothing. As if they were... dead.

I jerked my gaze back to my captor. "Where is my sister? What have you done to her?"

He ignored my question but continued speaking. "The first of the puzzle was complete. We took additional steps to even the sides. Now we will pit you against each other, and the destruction will cripple both. It will give us time to destroy the source of your power, this Force. You will all die easier as mortals. Then Voss will have peace."

How in the world could they destroy the force? It was impossible. Wasn't it? And why would they tell me this? Why give me so much information unless-

"Your thoughts betray you. We will not be your death. She will."

_Pit you against each other_. Xerrin's gaze narrowed. "I will not harm my sister. You know that."

"You will not be yourself. But none will know it."

"You don't have that power. Stop this please. There is another way. We can have peace without-"

"The outsider speaks lies. It is usual. You know there can be no peace. Not between Sith and Jedi, Empire and Republic. There is one way."

That cold feeling of finality was closing in on me. No matter what I said, this Voss wasn't going to listen. Not to me. "You cannot make me harm her. Your plan is for nothing."

"Outsiders do not know the extent of our power. We made sure of it." My captor backed up a step. Two more Voss appeared on either side of me as if they had materialized from the shadows. "Now Master Jedi, you will obey us."

"Never-"

Electricity flew from the fingertips of the Voss mystics, slamming into my skull. It was impossible not too - I screamed.


	4. Chapter 2p2 - An Enemy Revealed

_Tython_

_Makeshift Outpost_

_Outskirts of the Former Jedi Temple_

"We've been played for fools!"

Elliah frowned. "Calm down Master Kaedan."

"Calm down?" Kaedan glared at Elliah, shoving an accusing finger at him. "This is your fault. Your Sith wife did this!"

Normally, Elliah's patience was limitless. Yet today, many things were off balance and silently repeating the Jedi Mantra wasn't helping. His temper exposed itself when he smacked Kaedan's hand out of his face. "You don't know that and your senseless accusations aren't helping."

"Master Tosh is right. Darth Jinobie is a suspect given her disregard for both Sith and Jedi but she made it clear her last meeting she wouldn't harm Master Xerrin. I sensed the truth in those words." The holo image of Grand Master Satele said.

Kaedan glared at Elliah for another moment, then began pacing.

The temple was nothing but rubble. They were standing inside a makeshift tent a few clicks away.

"But the timing is too convenient," Kaeden said, "And now with those idiotic troopers forcing the war-"

"Would you have allowed the Empire to manufacture the Gauntlet?" Elliah asked him.

"It could have been handled with more tactic!" Kaedan declared.

Elliah resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Kaedan saying anyone lacked tact simply exposed his hypocrisy.

"It is a dark day. But we must channel our emotions. I will remain here to advise the Senate. Master Tosh, Master Kaedan, you must get to the bottom of these attacks. With both the Empire and Republic suffering the blow of today, perhaps there is still time to renegotiate peace."

"What's done is done. I say we finish what we started thousands of years ago and drive the Sith to extinction. That's the only way we'll be safe."

Elliah refused to tolerate anymore of his warmongering. "Excuse me." Leaving Satele to deal with the over-zealous hypocrite, Elliah stepped quickly of the tent. He'd only gotten a few steps when his holocom rang.

Quickly he answered it hoping it was Laresa, or one of their children. Instead, the image of Gaden-Ko appeared. "Gaden? Something wrong?"

"Much, Elliah. Can you meet me aboard my ship?"

"Of course. See you soon."

Elliah sat next to the Voss, Gaden-Ko. And old friend and ally from the brief time he'd spent on Voss during his search for the first son. A deeply troubled expression covered Elliah's face. "How can this be? Don't you as mystics use the force for your visions?"

Gaden shook his head. "It's not from the force that true Voss mystics get their power. Jedi and Sith have always believed the force was the only type of living energy that could be tapped into. That's not true, there are many, the force is but one of them."

Elliah paused considering this. It was possible. If for example emotions like fear and love were a separate energetic entity that one could use to strengthen or weaken the force itself, then it stood to reason that what Gaden-Ko was telling him was correct.

"The plan is flawed then," Elliah said after a moment. "Even if they do succeed in destroying the force itself, surely Jedi and Sith would learn to adapt, to change."

Gaden-Ko slowly nodded. "It is possible, but consider how long it would take your people to do so."

Elliah frowned. He couldn't argue that. Many of the Jedi Masters were staunch traditionalists. In a way so were the Sith. To reteach themselves to draw upon something other than the force might take decades, even centuries. And the Voss intended to wipe them all out well before that.

"I must get to my children first. If Laresa believes them dead, there will be no stopping her rage," Elliah said.

Gaden-Ko nodded. "I will take you there."

Elliah touched his shoulder. "You put yourself at great risk."

"You saved my life. We are friends. I understand the Voss displeasure with both the Republic and Empire wishing to manipulate us to their own ends, but I cannot support this course of action. Mystics see many possible outcomes and what they have forseen is but one. I have seen another."

Elliah quirked a brow at him. "Oh?"

"Together, your Laresa and Master Xerrin could unite Empire and Republic as never before. How do you call it - live and let live?"

There was much truth in Gaden's words. As a Sith, Laresa could command great respect and fear. Reide had killed the Voidwolf, and taken control of the underworld when she'd gotten rid of Rogan the Butcher which left another piece of the puzzle controlled. Lancoro was poised to become the next Mandalore. Veltana a Moff, the head of Imperial Intelligence. Vanceto, the face of the Sith race to lead his people. And he and Xerrin along with former Supreme Chancellor Janus could have made moves on the republic side to cement a treaty that would truly be lasting, not the mockery that the Treaty of Coruscant was. Together, as a family they could have done it.

Perhaps they still could. Elliah snapped back into focus and nodded at Gaden. "Then we must waste no time."


	5. Chapter 3p1 - A Plain Motion

Chapter 3: A Plan In Motion

_Location Classified_

Tana was pacing like a caged tiger in her cell. Her head was still pounding, but at least she'd stopped the cut on her forehead from bleeding. She had been in Imperial Intelligence headquarters - or rather Sith Intelligence as Darth Jadus had renamed it. She'd just been promoted to Grand Moff of the new S.I. - a well played game that had put her family in an excellent position to get rid of the banthashit crazy Jadus and take it all over themselves.

Then, the explosion had occurred. The Citadel next to them was in shambles and the resulting destruction had nearly torn apart the IA building too. That was the last thing she remembered though. When she'd woken up, she'd been here. And she had no frakking idea where "here" was.

Tana had very minimal force abilities but she'd always been able to get a sense of her family. Her mother most of all. She felt none of that here. There was nothing, just a void, like they were all dead. She was trying really hard not to dwell on that thought though and instead focus on her training. Before she could get started in that regard, n voices in the hallway alleviated at least some of her fears.

"I am a Sith Lord! I will destroy you!" Vanceto growled. "What did you do to my brother?!"

"Stop your yapping. His wife took the worst of it."

Tana's brows pinched together. She went to the cells bars. Vanceto was being held by two masked men. His face was cut and bruised and look he flat out pissed. Tana backed up as they came to her cell door and before she could even attempt to attack the two guards, something drove her back into the wall, keeping her pinned there. Vanceto was thrown in. Another pair was dragging a passed out Lancoro and they tossed him inside just carelessly.

When the cell door closed she could move again. Both she and Vanceto rushed to Lancoro's side. Tana examined the wound on his chest. It wasn't fatal, he'd been lucky. He still needed medical attention though.

"Are you all right, sister?" Vanceto asked.

"Not even close to it. What the frak is going on?"

Vanceto shook his head. "I do not know, but we must find out. And quickly."

The Smuggler

Corellian XS Light Freighter

_The Obsidian_

I was standing in front of my holo terminal. Akaavi, Bodwar, Gus, and Andro stood behind me as the slimey li'll informant did was he was good at, passing on information. The Black Sun had been one of the most notorious gangs on Coruscant. Like most of the underworld, they now reported to me.

"Nobody could get a good look at the assassins, they're faces were covered,"

"So they attacked the Cantina, took Lancoro, left and you didn't see where they were going?"

"I trailed them to the spaceport. The shuttle they got on was unidentified and I couldn't get close enough to drop a tracking device."

I growled in frustration and resisted the urge to pace. "What about his wife, Mako?"

"She took one through the heart. It punched through her and hit him. She didn't have a chance."

I winced. I shared Larea's opinion of Mako but that didn't mean it was okay for a family member to get mowed down like that. Plus, I could imagine the agony Lancoro was going through - that boy had loved her something fierce.

"Frak. All right. You tell all our sources I need to know whose behind this and I need to know yesterday. "

"You got it Captain."

As I switched off the connection a loud beeping sound resonated through the ship. The locator we had running had found Larea's ship. I ran into the cockpit, Andro hot on my heels. When I got in the small familiar space I could clearly see my sisters Interceptor floating, like an abandoned cargo vessel. I frowned and sat down at the controls.

"Bio-signatures?" Andro asked quietly.

Tempering down my fear I ran a quick scan. There were three of them, faint, but alive. I released a hard breath I didn't even realize I was holding. "There's some fraking good news at least. Tell the crew to get ready to board."

The Juggernaut

_Location Classified_

"Brother? Brother wake up." I smacked Lancoro on the cheek. He didn't move. Frowning, I did it again, this time much harder. He came awake with a start, tried to throw an instinct fist in my direction but ended up only grimacing in great pain.

Tana caught his head as he slumped back down to the floor. I took him by the face, staring into his eyes. "You're going to be all right," I swore. We all were. I didn't know how, but I was going to get us out of here.

"Mako..." Lancoro gasped out.

My brows drew together. I glanced at Tana and she shook her head. I had had heard the same, though nothing had been confirmed. They could be lying to us. Briefly I worried about Vette. I don't know what had transpired on my ship after we'd been attacked - or rather after I had been knocked unconsciousness.

My temper flared, my anger and hate building hotly. I tempered them back and focused on the utter agony on my brothers face. It wasn't from the pain of his injury.

"We don't know, Lancoro."

"Don't lie to me!" He croaked out.

Tana sighed. "We heard them say she didn't make it. But they could be lying, Lan."

Lancoro made the most agonized sound a man could make. Tana held him close and my heart bled for my brother. Out of all of us, he deserved happiness the most. The fools that had done this would pay dearly.

I surged to my feet - I could not offer my brother any comfort, his pain was feeding my anger. So I focused my attention on our cell. I tested the strength of the bars that kept us caged. They would hold. The cell itself was unspectacular. There was literally nothing but rock walls. No bed, not even something for us to relieve ourselves in. Either they didn't care - or they didn't intend to keep us here very long. Ours appeared to be the only cell in whatever cave we were in. The space in front of us was lit by torches, and showed a wide circular ring. It reminded me of the kind the Hutt's liked to use for their different beast fights.

Pausing my search I tried to reach out to mother, or father, even Vette. There was nothing - just a cold empty void. Either my connection to the force was being fraked with, or they were dead. The latter though left a bitter taste in my mouth but my instinct told me something else was at play here. I knew a nefarious plot as well any Sith. Good, I thought. I did so enjoy killing those who deserved it.

And then I got the surprise of my life when Aunt Xerrin was suddenly in front of my cell. Tana spoke the words my shock robbed me of.

"Aunt Xerrin? What are you doing here?"

"Join the Republic," she said flatly.

My brow arched sharply. "You're not here to free us?"

She gazed at me with her goggle covered eyes, a traditional covering most Miraluka's wore to cover their empty eye sockets. "If you join the republic, no harm will come to you. Resist and you'll force my hand."

Had we been betrayed by the Jedi? Was she the one to do this? My anger surged again. "We will do no such thing. Release us at once."

"Then you leave me no choice. Remove Vanceto from the cell."

"Aunt Xerrin what you doing!?" Tana shouted.

I put a staying hand towards Tana, and went without fight (for the moment) when two more masked men took hold of me. I was shoved violently into the center of the ring. I quickly gained my footing, meeting the unreadable expression of Aunt Xerrin just as she tossed a lightsaber in my direction.

I caught the handle easily. "Do you mean to fight me, Aunt Xerrin?"

"I will spare you, if you will join us."

I did not know what part Aunt Xerrin had played in our capture, and I no longer cared. My hate seethed around me, but even that felt different here. I brought the blade to life, the sound as calming as any mantra. "Then we fight!" I attacked.


	6. Chapter 3p2 - A Plan in Motion

The Bounty Hunter

_Location Classified_

My chest was still on fire. I knew I'd be useless in a fight but I couldn't stay on my back while Vanceto fought Aunt Xerrin.

"Tana, help me up," I rasped out.

Tana wasn't even half my size but she was strong. She helped me get to my feet and I gripped the bars, watching. My brother was really fraking good with a lightsaber. But he wasn't as powerful a Sith as mom was, not yet anyway. And I wasn't sure who else could have brought Xerrin down, so I was really fraking scared.

"Tana he can't beat her," I said.

"You don't know that." She hissed, but her worry was betrayed in her tone.

"We've got to _do_ something." That feeling of helplessness was driving me insane with each second that ticked by, each hiss of lightsabers colliding in one powerful sequence after the next. She was backing him up and I'd seen enough fights to know when it was just a matter of time.

I'd already lost Mako - a thought I couldn't even focus on right then because if I did I was going to come apart at the seams. I couldn't lose my brother too, but we were stuck in this cell and I couldn't get out!

"AUNT XERRIN STOP! PLEASE!" I didn't give a frak I was begging. What the chaos was wrong with her? Why was she even here? Where was here? And why the hell couldn't I feel mom? Was she dead too? That thought was like another weight on my heart, crushing me into the ground and robbing me of the ability to breath.

It took about two minutes for my worst fears to become realized. Xerrin broke his guard, knocked the saber from his hand and drove him to the ground. I knew her next strike was going to land in his heart. In fact I was so sure of it I screamed out - "VANCETO! NO!"

At first I was confused when the death blow never came. I could tell Vanceto was as well, and then we realized that my father had come out of stealth and blocked Xerrin's blade with his own. A second later we heard an explosion in the hallway and someone shout -

"This aint your party!"

"Vanceto get them, and get out!" Elliah shouted and kicked Xerrin away from the cells, away from us, and back into the wall.

"I will not father! I will fight with you!" Vanceto brought up his blade again ready to charge at Xerrin.

In all ours years I have never seen my father actually angry. Displeased sure, but never actually showing a temper. He sure as frak looked about as scary as mom did in a fit of pure rage when he shouted back. "I said _now_! Get them and get out!"

Vanceto's brow twisted, but he whirled around and charged over to our cell. Tana scooted quickly back to my side to support my weight again as Vanceto used the lightsaber to cut through the metal. I kept trading glances down the hallway where I could hear the sound of blaster fire and back at Dad who was locked in a furious fight with Xerrin. They both moved so fast I could barely keep up.

"We can't leave him," I hissed to Vanceto.

I could tell Vanceto didn't want too either. Dad must have sensed our hesitation because we heard him shout. "GO!"

"We must brother. Tana, clear the way." Vanceto tossed her the lightsaber and took my weight. I hated being so goddamn helpless, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Vanceto slung me over his shoulder and we charged down the hallway.

We could see Kaliyo, one of Tana's friends and crew members waiting near the entrance to the cavern. "Let's go, let's go!"

"How the hell did you get here?" I heard Tana ask.

"Questions later, let's move!"

When we burst into the daylight I would have recognized this planet anywhere - we were on Voss. "What the frak?" I muttered.

"Long story and we don't have all of it. Let's just hope we make it back to the shuttle." Kaliyo tossed Tana a blaster and we scurried off.

From my vantage I could see the mouth opening of the cave. I kept hoping any second Dad would pop out of it. But eventually we rounded a corner and I lost sight of it.

I never saw my father again.

The Consular

_Location Classified_

"Xerrin stop, you are not yourself!" My double edged blade clashed violently against Xerrin's singular one. Whatever the Voss had done to her had made her stronger, much stronger.

"You are a traitor to the Jedi order," she said in a flat tone.

Damn. She would need healing and a great deal of it. I broke away from her attack, taking a quick step backwards to put some distance between. Our blades hummed in the silence of the cave. I doubted I could use any of my force abilities here; there was a void, a cold sucking energy that acted like a shield against the force. I would have to defeat her with my martial skill alone.

Xerrin was a patient fighter. She gave me reprieve long enough to remove my Jedi robe. No sooner had it touched the ground and I'd adjusted my grip on the hilt of my saber then her quick footwork brought her back into my space. I danced back, deflecting her blade, spinning mine to try to take her hand. I detested purposefully trying to harm her but I had no choice. Nothing I attempted couldn't be repaired and I knew when her mind returned she'd thank me for it.

Of course, my attack didn't work. Her blade was like the spokes of a wheel in its quick circular attacks, the perfect stance to defend and exploit the movement of my double edge blade. Once more she got in too close for comfort, but before I could dance out of the way her first caught my face. I stumbled at the incredible impact of her strike, heard her blade hiss towards my neck and went with my own momentum to somersault across the floor away from her. I came to my feet and she was there, barely getting my saber up in time to stop hers from punching a hole through my chest.

"Don't let them use you this way Xerrin," I gasped. The air was thick and heavy in this cavern. It did not bode well for a prolonged match of endurance. Sweat threatened to block my vision as I arched my body away from her swinging point at my mid section. I backed up another step, breathing hard.

"Fight it," I implored her. "You're stronger than this."

I might as well have been talking to the Emperor. She didn't stop, in fact her motions became faster and I had no choice but to engage. It was a deadly if not elegant dance as my footwork took me one step in, another out, the constant hum of our blades a mantra that was interrupted every time they collided. She had me entirely on the defensive something I knew I had to change quickly if I wanted to survive. But whereas I was tiring, the blocking of the force seeming to drain my energy with every parry, she moved like she was a machine. The breaks in our rhythm came from me, and she'd only give me a second before she attacked again.

She held her saber one handed, slamming it in one perfect back and forth arc against my own. Her next strike slid off my blade, the point of her saber honing in on my shoulder. I quickly spun around, twirling my blade around me to protect me from the vulnerable position such a move left me in. But as soon as I rounded to face her again, her foot caught me in the stomach, her saber arched high to drive right into my head anticipating I would double over. Instead I took the hit, ignoring the pain, the loss of breath, snapped my blade up to deflect her strike and sent the opposite point across her thigh. She blanched, stumbling. Instead of pressing the attack I was forced to break and gasp in a breath.

She recovered far too quickly. What had they done to her, I silently questioned as our blades collided again. My concern for her mind was a luxury at the moment I couldn't hang onto though. She moved like she had no injury, whereas my muscles ached and strained to keep up with the pace of our deadly dance.

Her next strike sliced my saber in half. In the next heartbeat I felt the hot burning sensation of my right hand being severed. Ironic that she would complete a move I'd tried moments ago. My harsh sound of pain ripped free as I dropped to one knee. Grim determination on her face, Xerrin towered over me.

I stared up at her. "Don't do this. You know what it will do Laresa. What it will do _you._ You've got to fight it."

Voss magic is powerful. Too powerful. My words were a fool's errand. But, I felt no sense of defeat. My children had escaped and that had been my primary purpose for coming here. I felt confident they would find a way off this planet and get back to Laresa. Hopefully in enough time to stop any more bloodshed.

I closed my eyes and prepared for the inevitable. I would have liked to reach out to Nadia, Laresa too but I doubted they could feel it. Still, I tired regardless, in the hope that my love for them would be strong enough.

"I'm sorry, Elliah," Xerrin said quietly.

Her words had barely died on the cavern air when her saber pierced my heart.

The Sith

_Fury Class Imperial Interceptor_

_The Crystal Vanguard_

The image of Elliah is what brought me awake. When my eye snapped open though it was not his face I saw but Reide's.

"Welcome back," she said and I could hear the relief in her tone. I shared her sentiment, it was a great weight off my heart she was all right.

Quickly, the events that had transpired before my injury had robbed me of consciousness came flooding back. I sat up with a slight a wince. My injury was still sore, but it was nothing a few more kolto injections wouldn't heal.

"Update?" I asked, swinging out of the med bay bed I was currently in.

"The same dead assholes we found on your ship attacked Lancoro at a Cantina on Coruscant. They killed Mako and took him. Vette's here, apparently the same happened on Vanceto's ship."

This news did not bode well for my temperament. I felt my anger quickly surge, covering a mothers fear. With great control I tempered it back. "Veltana?"`

"We don't know. I haven't been able to get shit information from Drummond Kaas."

I nodded. That was information I could gather after I'd spoken to Vette about what had transpired on Vanceto's ship. "Elliah?" I asked as I slid on my Sith robe.

"Nadia sent me a message that he went to meet with Gaden-Ko. That was about twelve hours ago though. She hasn't heard from him since."

"The Voss?" I frowned and Reide nodded. "Do we know why he contacted Elliah?"

"Nadia claims he didn't say," Reide said.

Before we could discuss anything further Vette appeared in Med Bay. She looked like she'd just come from battle, and I could feel the fear and worry that emanated from her.

"We've got an incoming transmission," Vette said.

Nodding, I quickly followed her out of med bay. I had noticed that both Jaesa and Pierce were in Kolto tanks but I would inquire about their status later. Reide behind me, I followed Vette into the main hold of my ship and stood in front of my holo-terminal. I quickly pressed the button to receive the incoming transmission.

I wish I hadn't.

The first thing that played was a recorded video and my fury mounted with each passing second I watched Elliah fight Xerrin. And then I watched him die. A violent hiss parted my lips, my hands bunching to fists at my sides. The video stopped and Xerrin's image appeared.

"Your children have shared Elliah's fate. Out of respect, I will not make you watch their deaths," Xerrin said.

I couldn't feel them. _I couldn't feel them_. There was nothing where they should be which meant she was telling the truth. The next sound that left my mouth was one of pure anguish. I didn't even know I had fallen to one knee. Reide moved in front of me, shielding me, blocking me from Xerrin's gaze.

"Why Xerrin?" I heard her ask.

"The Sith Empire is a disease on the galaxy. Your oppression cannot be continued."

"Who the frak do you think you're talking to? Since when are we the Sith Empire?" Reide all but shouted.

"You share it's ideals. You have no love of law, democracy or peace."

Xerrin had killed them. After everything I'd done to atone for my sins, after sharing the battlefield with me against the Emperor, she'd betrayed me as well as any Sith. Better in fact. And my children, oh gods _my children_, those precious, precious lives had suffered the consequence. As the reality of it all came crashing down on me, my heart simply shattered. I have never felt the darkside of the force as strongly as I did in those moments; my agony channeled so very quickly into hate.

I surged to my feet, violently shoving Reide out of the way and slammed my hands on the terminal. "Then I will solve your problem," I hissed. "I will burn every city, every planet that swears allegiance to your Jedi, your Republic," I spat, the names a venom on my tongue. "And you _Jedi_ will suffer greatly before I allow you to die."

"Then you leave me no choice," Xerrin said.

"No," I snarled. "You had a choice. Now every second you live is a gift." I killed the connection with the lightening that suddenly burst from my fingers. Never had I been able to conjure its power before. But I felt so much different now.

Reide backed up a step, not scared, shocked. "Laresa-"

"Don't."

"Laresa..." She came closer to me and I held out my hand to stop her. Except she wasn't afraid of me, even though now she should be. Regardless, she wrapped her arms around me tightly. For just a second I sunk into her. I let her hold my weight and let something inside of me quietly die.

There was no trace of weakness in my tone when I said, "Enough."

Reide pulled away, and nodded once at me. She was my only blood family. All that I had left. And I realized with a cold bitterness that if I had listened to her in the beginning, if I'd given up my foolish quest to earn back the affection of a _Jedi_ - Elliah, my children, perhaps even Quinn, none of them would be dead. It didn't matter what I'd done, Xerrin saw me as nothing but a Sith.

I had embraced the darkside and yet I'd still fought it. No more. It was time I became what I truly was. Reide deserved to know I was worthy to lead what was left of my family and my children would have vengeance.

I whirled to lock my gaze on Vette. "If you are not prepared to serve a Sith Lord get off my ship."

I could feel Vette's volatile emotions. She was by turns devastated and furious. She took a step forward, meeting my gaze evenly. "I loved him," she said quietly. "He knew but... he deserved to hear it from me."

Once I had shielded Vette from the darker nature of revenge. Now, I wanted her to embrace it. "Stand with me. We will avenge him together. I will not let her get away with this."

"I know you won't," Vette said sincerely. She stepped next to me. Ready. I nodded once, pleased.

"Reide, find Gaden-Ko. I wish to know what he told Elliah. Vette, take us to Drummond Kaas. It is time the Wrath took her rightful place as head of the Empire."


	7. Chapter 4p1 - A New War

Chapter 4: A New War

The Jedi

_Voss, The Nightmare Lands_

_The Mystics Cavern_

Have you ever been a prisoner inside your own mind? It is a nightmare that cannot be imagined. I heard myself speak those words to Elliah. I felt myself fight him, but I could do nothing to stop it. Something else sat inside me, controlling me with a power greater than my partnership with the lightside of the force.

I screamed, I fought, but I was helpless to prevent myself from killing him. Elliah... oh no. The only positive thing from that encounter, if I could even call it that, was that somehow he'd known. And he'd let my nephews and nieces go. I prayed that he'd told Laresa, that she was on her way to rescue them and to stop this insanity, but as I watched myself stand in front of that holoterminal and tell her those lies, accuse of her being nothing more than a Sith, my hopes were crushed.

I could only imagine what I'd just done to her. What they'd made me do after we'd just found each other again. It was no wonder the darkside was so tempting because I was so utterly angry that for moments I forgot to pay attention.

Locked away in the cage of my mind I silently repeated the Jedi Mantra, letting it calm me just enough since the lightside of the force was not present here. Laresa had terminated the connection between us. I was speaking to the Voss that had done this to me.

"They've gotten away," I heard myself say.

"No matter, we will find them. They will not leave Voss."

"Will you kill them?"

"Yes. You have your orders Master Jedi. Go and lead your republic into war."

Without argument I felt myself walking away. One of the Voss that had been in the room during their mind control ritual followed me - for what purpose I wasn't sure. Was he keeping whatever spell that put over me in place? When I left Voss and went somewhere the force was still alive could I find a way to break free of his control?

Once more the faint stirrings of hope reappeared. I would damn sure try.

The Imperial Agent

_Voss, The Nightmare Lands_

_Deepest Woods_

When we broke free of the cavern we didn't meet daylight but darkness. And not because it was night time. Unfortunately I'd been here before. We were on Voss - and we were in the Nightmare Lands.

"What the frak are we doing on Voss?" Vanceto all but roared, his breath heavy from carrying Lancoro's weight. Lan was a big guy, but I wasn't worried Vanceto would tire, if he did get low on energy he could channel the darkside. At least I hoped he could. I still couldn't feel mother but I didn't think she was dead, not after seeing Dad.

Sadness crashed into me as we sprinted through the forest with Kaliyo leading the way. Never mind that we were probably being chased by the Voss but the Nightmare lands lived up to its name and then some. It was a dark twisted forest and randomly you'd stumble across piles of bones curtsey of rabid packs of crystfangs or even worse the Vorantius Gnashers. And if the wild life didn't kill you, the longer you stayed the more likely it became that you'd go mad. Even as we ran I could hear the insane whispers and ramblings of beings made insane by the forest, their tormented cries carried on a cold, still breeze.

"Where we going Kailyo?" I asked.

"Gaden-Ko's shuttle is just ahead in the Meadow," she said.

Gaden-Ko. The name was only vaguely familiar to me. I knew he was a Voss but that was it. For now I held back my questions, my instincts were better used making sure we got to our destination.

We didn't.

We'd barely made it to the edge of the forest when Kaliyo's holocom rang.

Muttering a foul curse she skittered to a halt. We all pressed our backs against each others, giving us a 360 view of our surroundings while Kaliyo answered it.

"What?" Kaliyo barked as Gaden-Ko's face appeared.

"They've found me - don't come here you'll be cap-"

He didn't finish and we all knew why. We could hear the explosion and see the smoke rising high above the gnarled, black tree branches.

"Shit," Kaliyo snapped the com closed. "That was our ride."

"We need to get to high ground," I said. I didn't like the idea of staying in the forest but at the moment we need to regroup and find out what the frak was going on.

Kaliyo nodded. "This way."

A deep cliff ran through the forest in the nightmare lands. We'd managed to scale partly down it onto a plateau that barely had enough room for all four of us, but it was out of sight from whomever might be pursuing us and the wildlife wouldn't climb down here just to eat us.

Kaliyo had brought a med pack with her. While she explained, I gave Lancoro a much needed dose of Kolto.

The whole thing was nuts but after being in Imperial Intelligence I wondered why anything surprised me anymore. Kaliyo explained that after I'd gone missing from the IA headquarters, or rather, Sith Intelligence as Darth Jadus now called it, she'd tried to contact Mom but hadn't gotten thru. Father had answered and Kaliyo had met up with he and Gaden-Ko mostly because Kaliyo had a connection in the Voss spaceport that had let them through the blockage unseen. At least so they thought.

And there was a blockade around the whole planet. The Republic and Empire had officially gone to war and the Voss had kicked both sides out effective immediately. Any side that hadn't left by now was being executed without mercy.

"I can't say I particularly care what the Empire and Republic do to each other," Vanceto said. "But killing the force is out of the question."

I nodded my agreement with that. "Why didn't dad contact mom when he found out?" I ask Kaliyo.

"Gaden-Ko wasn't certain if the banthashit crazy Voss had done the same thing to her as they did to your aunt," Kaliyo said. "So we held off and decided to come rescue you all first."

That made sense. Shit, I hoped they hadn't done anything like this to mom. "Aunt Reide," I said. "We've got to get a message to her."

"And get off this rock," Kaliyo added.

"The Gormak," Lancoro said quietly.

I glanced over at him. "They don't exactly like us either."

"I got a call for a bounty - there's a new leader some guy named Raklann's that mounted a new offensive against the Voss. Imperials put a Bounty on him to help the Voss out."

"An enemy of my enemy is my friend," Vanceto said.

It was as good a plan as any. We certainly couldn't stay in this forest. "Do you know where his camp is Lancoro?"

Lancoro nodded. "Get me outta this frakking forest and I can take us there." He paused, looking over at Kaliyo. I could hear the tiny thread of hope in his voice when he asked - "My wife, Mako - we were attacked in a Cantina on Courscant-"

Kaliyo shook her head at him. "Word is she didn't make it."

Normally I didn't do the whole men crying thing. They looked like big babies but I guess that didn't apply to family. Lancoro buried his face in his big hand, hiding his pain. His shoulders shook but other than that he didn't make a sound. Didn't have too though, I could feel his anguish. My brows pinched together and I felt utterly helpless because I just didn't know how to console him. If there even was a way to console someone through that kind of pain. Vanceto laid a hand on Lan's arm, whispering something to him.

I bit my lower lip. I'd left someone behind too and I had no idea if she made it through the explosion or the attack it had all happened so fast. I vehemently refused to think about it though. We had a mission and everything beyond that circle was irrelevant.

"Lan..." I said after a moment. "We need to move."

He didn't do anything for about five seconds. Then, I heard him suck in a watery breath. When he dropped his hand he looked as furious as any Sith. " Give me a shot of kolto, a blaster and let's go."


	8. Chapter 4p2 - A New War

The Sith

_Dromund Kaas_

_Kaas City_

During the trip to Dromund Kaas I had not allowed my grief any purchase. It was wrapped up in the rage that seethed quietly inside of me, a power that surged through my blood licking its lips in impatient anticipation for the moment I would set it free. I had contacted my two trusted allies, Darth Storm and Darth Minamoto. Both were far more interested in my new direction.

We arrived at the spaceport at the same time. As I left my ship, I was met by a man in an imperial uniform.

"Darth Jinobie - Emperor Jadus requires that all arrivals-"

I cut him off. "Emperor Jadus?"

"Yes my lord."

I canted my head at the stupid little worm. Without lifting my hand I used the darkside to constrict the airflow around his throat, ensuring he would not interrupt me while I spoke. Behind me Vette, the two Darth's, and my droid army made themselves known.

The Imperial began to choke, clutching at his neck. "Darth Jadus does not control the empire. I do. An error I will set right immediately. You will not inform him of my arrival. If you do, I will slice you to pieces and feed you to your family..." I paused. A cruel smile tilted my lips. "You have children. Two..." I paused, pulling the information I wanted from his weak mind. "Perhaps I will kill them anyway. Suffering breeds character. I find yours lacking."

I released him and marched past him without another word. Vette was at my side, Darth Storm and Darth Minamoto behind us, our army trailing behind them. I was silently proud of Vette. The old Vette would have been appalled at what I'd just said, now that she opened up to the spirit of vengeance it wasn't hard for me to let the darkside wrap around her like a protective cocoon that she willingly embraced. It was so much better than the pain.

It was a short journey from the spaceport into Kaas City. Before, The Mandalorian Enclave, Citadel, and Imperial Intelligence Headquarters had stood proudly - three tall beacon's that spoke of the might and determination of the Sith. The Citadel was no more. The Enclave and Intelligence building showed signs of the damage, smoke rising from towers, sections missing.

I let that too fuel my rage as I walked into the Intelligence building. Two guards attempted to stop me. I didn't kill them, I walked past them - but I heard their cries at Darth Storm and Darth Minamoto did.

Inside the building I marched straight into the central command room. There, I saw evidence of the firefight that had taken my daughter to her death. The heart I no longer wished to acknowledge constricted painfully at the thought. I sucked that grief into my hate and centered my gaze on Darth Jadus.

He stood in front of a holo terminal, his hands behind his back, his face hidden behind a helmet. I was well aware of his machinations. He had unknowingly accepted my daughter into his ranks and every move he made she had reported to me.

He, like most of the fool members of the Darth Council had one beautiful weakness - arrogance and a powerful god complex that made him think he was invincible. I eagerly anticipated showing him otherwise.

The room had been a noisy hum of activity. As he slowly turned to face me the area went quiet. I could hear the amusement in his tone as he spoke. "Ah. The fallen one."

"You will surrender control of your troops, and this organization to me. I now lead the Empire," I said simply.

He chuckled. "You did well killing our apathetic Emperor. But, in doing so my power is now second to none. Yet you are worthy of a place in my Empire. Join me-"

I rolled my eyes. I had no patience for his idiotic words. I extended my hand and lightening flew my finger tips. He did the same and our power collided. It forced him back a step. I didn't budge my hatred so much more powerful than his own now. Nothing was blacker than the heart of a mother who had lost her children in one fatal, treacherous blow.

For long seconds the display didn't stop. The power of the lightening colliding arced from our streams and bounced off the ceiling, the floor, zapping terminals and occasionally some poor fool got caught in the wild arcs and I could hear those screams in the second before they evaporated.

We both broke it off. He did it because he couldn't hold it. I did it because I wanted to kill him another way.

"What is this?" He demanded and I could hear he was slightly out of breath.

"I won't repeat myself," I said.

With a growl this time he tried to use the force to knock me back a step. I held up my palm catching the energy and with a flick of my wrist hurled it back at him. It smacked him square in the chest and sent him flying on top of the holoterminal. Darth Minamoto did not bother containing her laughter.

A sound of pure rage exploded from him as he stumbled to his feet and withdrew his lightsaber. I used the force to smack it from his hand as if he were a mere Acolyte, mocking him. Enraged that I was making a fool out of him he surged at me like a warrior, bare fisted and disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. It was his command of the darkside that allowed him to do this, and it was mine that let me see him.

He meant to reappear right in front of me and drive his fist through my chest to rip out my heart. No sooner had he blinked into existence then I mimicked his parlor trick. When I reappeared behind him my extended lightsaber was in my hand and I took off his head in one clean swipe.

"You were not worthy to see my eyes as you died." I told his corpse as I calmly sheathed my saber. His head rolled across the floor as his body crumpled.

The room was still silent. I could feel the fear and I reveled in it, sucking it greedily into me. I stepped over his dead body and walked up to the holo terminal he had stood in front of. "Report."

For the first few seconds nothing happened. I was patient, I expected as much. Finally, a woman who I knew because of Tana's reports to be known as Watcher Two stepped forward.

"My lord," she said quietly. "I have much to report but if I may... Moff Jinobie... she was taken-"

"She's dead, Watcher two," I said flatly.

I heard her gasp. And then I felt... grief. A great deal of it. Slowly I turned my head to meet the anguished expression on this woman's face. "You were close to my daughter," I said studying her.

Watcher Two nodded and hastily brushed away the tears that came to her eyes. "Very my lord," she said quietly.

I canted my head. She'd loved my daughter. Tana had told me nothing of this. I wondered why. Perhaps we'd just been too busy killing the Emperor. I would not have cared about her choices so long as her mate was worthy and she happy. I'd likely have liked her choice better than Lancoro's.

Oh my children... my... dead children. I hid my clenched fists inside my robe. "You will help me avenge her." I turned back to the holoterminal. "Report." I repeated.

We had much to destroy. And I had a Jedi to find and make suffer.

The Smuggler

_The VoidHound_

_Mobile Spaceport_

Laresa had thrown herself into vengeance. As I boarded my ship, recalled my crew and made way to the base of my operations to start looking for Gaden-Ko, as far as I was concerned goddamn bully for her. Whatever Laresa did as a result of her children being murdered was nothing less than the frakking Republic deserved. They had always been a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites and in my opinion of the worst kind. I had no respect for those Senators who tried to talk like they gave a rats ass when I knew half my criminal underworld controlled their politics with a few Twi'lek slave girls and a couple credits. It had always both amused and annoyed me how the Republic like to judge the Empire for the way it conducted it's society - sure the Sith did a lot of backstabbing and manipulation but you _expected that_. That was the Sith way. The Republic liked to hide it's shit behind closed doors and fancy meetings all the while pretending they were the saviors of the galaxy and I was beyond done.

I spent the trip to the base of my operation in silence, my anger seething and Andro didn't bother trying to calm my silent rage. I really loved that about him; that he got it. As I navigated my ship into the hanger bay of the VoidHound, my biggest hope was that Laresa finished what Malgus and had started all those years ago, blew Coruscant right out of the frakking galaxy and took all those idiot Jedi with em.

A lot of my anger was the hurt talking and I knew it, but I sure as frak meant it. I'd loved those kids like they were my own. And after our throw down with the Emperor I'd even believed for one small second that maybe I'd been wrong about Xerrin. Ha! I should have put one in her big ugly head the same way I'd done to Mekethia. I didn't fault Laresa's heart, not at all. But this was one hell of a consequence of trying to be a better person.

I cut the engines, told the crew to stay close, we wouldn't be here long, and stepped off my baby into one of my biggest accomplishments.

Once upon a time Port Nowhere had been the hot spot for Smugglers and all the other Pirates and riff raff of the Underworld. When I'd taken over as the Boss of Bosses, I'd changed that. Briefly, I'd considered blowing it up but, Port Nowhere had held a bit of sentimental value to me, namely because of all the lessons I learned there in my own rise to power. It was inside that Cantina that Andro and I had first met too, which was why he and I had used it for our frequent hook ups.

It wasn't where my "criminal" distribution center was stationed though. I had turned the VoidWolf's former flagship into a better version of Port Nowhere, renamed it the VoidHound, and given Ivory my gentlemanly crime lord control of it. I had managed to keep the majority of the bosses in check for years now. Maybe it was because I'd frozen Rogan the Butcher, Darmas Pollaran, the Voidwolf, Senator Dodonna, and a few other wanna be tough guys that had tried to challenge me in carbonite and hung them in the spacious corridors of my moving spaceport. Less as warning, more because I was a spiteful bitch and it made me made me giggly every time I saw them hanging there.

Installing the stealth technology from the Adegan crystals Laresa's men had mined on Ilum had turned it into one of the most secure locations for my kind of business in the galaxy. It was busier than usual tonight and I wasn't surprised. War was a gold mine for my kind.

"Our informants on Dromund Kaas have some interesting news," Ivory was waiting for me in the corridor just outside the hanger bay.

"It's true," I said, falling into step next to him. Andro followed us.

"If we can no longer hit Imperial targets, that will become... problematic."

Didn't I know it. One of the reasons I'd remained so popular is my refusal to cater to either side. There were few things the pirate leaders respected more than the freedom to do whatever they pleased. And for the most part, they had had it.

"I'm not giving any orders to the contrary yet. The first thing I want to know is who the holy frak had the balls to hire someone to go after my family."

"That is the mystery of all this Captain," Ivory said, following me into my office. If I didn't like you, I made you call me Boss. Ivory and I had become friends though, so he got to call me Captain. "No one knows."

I narrowed my eye at him. "No one knows, or no one's talking?"

"Consider this. Everyone of importance knew who your niece and nephews were. Kidnapping them, or even killing them to teach you a lesson wouldn't be out of the realm of impossible. However to strike against them would also be to strike against a Sith who once stood next to the Emperor. Criminals are desperate, but not that desperate. What could they possibly have been offered to make it worth their while?"

I frowned deeply. I had come to the same conclusions. "What about the attacks?"

"The same. These people were ghosts. Although..." Ivory paused as a thoughtful expression ran over his Rattataki face.

"Spit it out," Andro said for me.

"There have been reports of missing persons. It's strange. Criminals go missing all the time, but it was causing a bit of a rift that we had to quickly squash among the Bosses. They were blaming each other for randomly snatching each other's men."

I arched a brow. "Fighters? Demolitions experts?"

Ivory shook his head. "It's been no one of real importance so the situation wasn't impossible to contain. A few credits, some cargo, etc and tempers were eased. The only commonality is that all have gone missing while traveling either to or from the planet Voss."

I perched myself on the edge of my desk, folding my arms in front of me. That made this whole little picture a lot more interesting. "How long has it been going on?"

"It had been going on for months. It abruptly stopped four weeks ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It seemed below you, Captain. Missing persons hardly qualifies and everything was handled accordingly. But now, in light of everything else... it's suspicious."

"How are our operations on Voss?"

"I spoke with Scratch this morning, they're still safely tucked away in the Gormak lands. But, considering how the Voss feel about war we may wish to consider shutting it down temporarily. It will be nearly impossible to get anything planet side now with the blockade."

Ivory had a good point, but I'd come back to what to do about our operations on Voss later. "Do we have any reason to believe the Voss have sided with the republic?"

Ivory laughed. "None. When news of the war broke out, the Voss have removed them with as much prejudice as the Empire. The epitome of neutrality."

Still, something was rubbing raw at my instincts. "Thanks Ivory."

"Of course Captain." He paused. "I will inform your top three that it may be more beneficial financially to supply Darth Jinobie's war effort than take away from it. And we will keep ears on the ground in search for your family."

I nodded and gave him a slight smile. Ivory returned it and left the room.

Andro had walked over to my mini bar and helped himself to a drink. "You didn't tell him Xerrin killed them. Why?"

I paused, considering. If I had, the Bosses would have no problem targeting the Republic a lot more than they usually did. But before I started all that - "Because something's wrong. With all of this."

He didn't bother with a glass he was drinking straight from the bottle. He came to perch next to him and offered it over. "What are you thinking Ria?"

I took a couple healthy swigs first. "I'm thinking Elliah's last contact was with a Voss. I'm thinking about what Ivory said about the missing people and it all happening around Voss. I'm thinking somehow the Voss are tied up in this."

"What for?"

"I don't know. But neither the Republic or the Empire has taken credit for the attacks and I don't know that they'll ask the right questions, especially now that Laresa is about to stick it to em good. That attack weakened both sides. But why? And how the hell does my family fit into this?"

"Rift Alliance maybe? They've wanted to put down both sides for a while now."

"They couldn't have rebuilt that fast, not after the hit Tana put on them."

Andro give me a long thoughtful sideways glance. "You want to go to Voss, don't you?"

"Laresa asked us to find Gaden-Ko, right? That's the best place to start."

He nodded. "Gonna be a bitch to try and maneuver through the blockade."

I grinned at him. "Not if you've got a stealth ship."


	9. Chapter 4p3 - A New War

The Sith

_Kaas City_

_Sith Intelligence, Headquarters_

Once, they had called me the Merciless. At the time, I had had mixed feelings about the title. Now, I intended to prove it. After the Republic had stopped the Empire constructing the Gauntlet, Aric Jorgan had lead Havoc Squad to capture General Rakton, Supreme Commander of the Sith Military.

Republic Supreme Chancellor Saresh had called for a trade - Rakton in exchange for a hundred POW's. The Empire had agreed. Despite the events that had transpired, that transfer was taking place as I stood in front of the command terminal, watching my agents work.

Darth Shadishan had been sent to deal with the Minister of Defense. Darth Minamoto had been sent to fetch Rakton. I had called for the immediate withdrawal of our troops from Corellia. General Pierce had come out of the kolto tank a few hours ago and I had ordered him to meet those forces, take my droid and human army aboard our stealth fleet and await further instruction.

I stood in front of one large terminals, watching the display. Darth Jadus had served his purpose better than he'd realized. The Empire had only shown interest in Hoth in order force the Republic to commit valuable troops they may need elsewhere. It had worked of course. And I knew better than most because of information my family had gathered that the reason the republic was so adamant about Hoth was the powerful hidden technology in their crashed ships. I also knew how close they were to recovering that technology and how much they would need it now.

"Eradicators online, my Lord," Watcher Two said.

"Target acquired," another uniform said.

Such a small petty mind Darth Jadus had possessed. Why target our own Empire just to spread fear, when we could spread fear somewhere else. "Fire."

What a glorious weapon to posses. The Eradicators unleashed their power onto the ship graveyard the republic had taken so much interest in and blew it out of existence. Reactors cores from the ships detonated on themselves, making the destruction a thousand times worse. Miles upon miles of Hoth's white icy surface turned black in an instant, Republic and Imperial basses caught in the blast and swallowed hole. A cruel smile titled my lips as I watched the destruction.

"How dare you treat me like a mere-" General Rakton's words were cut short as Darth Minamoto violently shoved him to the ground in front of me.

I did not look away from the screen as I spoke to him. "You failed. You were captured. By Aric Jorgan of all people."

Rakton got his feet. "My career is full of victories for this Empire. The Sith Army is what is today because of **me**. Not even you can claim otherwise."

I had yet to look at him directly. "You will not die a failure. You will be... instrumental, in ensuring my success in the war you declared without the approval of the Sith you serve."

Rakton released an arrogant, indignant noise. "I serve the Empire."

One second there was distance between us. In the next there simply wasn't, because I was in front of him. I snatched him by the face, pulling him close, ensuring he could see my gaze past the shadows of my cowl.

"_You serve me._" He attempted to struggle free of my grasp but lightening erupted my fingers and all those proud words melted like his flesh into painful screams of suffering.

I released him only when he'd become unrecognizable. He collapsed onto the ground, howling and whimpering in pain. I rested my gaze on Darth Minamoto. "You know what to do with him. When it's done, meet Malgus's former forces on Ilum and destroy the Republic there."

Darth Minamoto nodded. She motioned one of her men who grabbed Rakton and dragged him out. I had already turned my attention elsewhere. "How long will it take the next set of Eradicators to be grown?"

"Little less than a week my lord," Watcher Two said.

"Begin immediately. Our next target lies within the Core Worlds."

"Yes my lord."

I stepped over to the holoterminal calling General Pierce. He responded promptly.

"My Lord."

"Set course for Balmorra. Ensure the Republic knows we're coming. There is a particular Jedi who must die long before this war is done."

"Consider it done my lord."

I nodded and switched off the channel. "Keep me apprised of any developments Watcher Two. I will contact you when I am planet side." Turning, I marched out of the room.

Vette was standing outside. She did not even notice my approach and I realized it was because she was staring at a picture of Vanceto.

I did not need a picture to see his face, to remember my beloved son but I was unprepared for how much pain the sight of it caused me, and how quickly it enraged me.

"Put it away," I snarled in a dangerously low tone, much more harshly than I'd ever spoken to Vette.

She actually jumped at my tone, and quickly hid the picture. "I'm sor-"

"Don't." I looked away from her and began my quick pace once more. "We go to Balmorra to seek our vengeance against those who have taken him from us."

My rage had only just begun.

The Jedi

_Tython_

_Makeshift Outpost_

_Outskirts of the Former Jedi Temple_

"You must understand Chancellor we suffered many losses. And I sense other forces at play here-"

Supreme Chancellor Saresh made a frustrated sound. "Darth Jinobie has claimed control of the Sith Empire and has just destroyed Hoth! Millions of lives have been lost! Who knows what planet she'll target next. What more do the Jedi need?"

"No more," I heard myself say as I walked into the tent. Master Kaden was the lone Jedi standing in front of the holoterminal. Grand Master Satele and Master Sumalee were holo images along with Chancellor Suresh and General Garza. "I will rally the Jedi Masters who understand the necessity of this war and I will lead them as I led them on Corellia."

Grand Master Satele looked at me in surprise. Master Kaden with a mixture of relief and suspicion. "Where have you been?" he demanded.

"Meditating on the events that have transpired. I apologize for my absence. I was wrong about Darth Jinobie. It should be my burden that I stop her evil from spreading any further than it's gone."

"Master Xerrin you left our order-"

"Will you accept my aid, Chancellor?" I heard myself interrupt Master Satele. "There are many Jedi who will answer my call and follow me and your troops into battle."

"We will accept Master Xerrin. Your success on Corellia is widely known. You would be a great asset to us now."

"I will gather my forces and contact you then."

"Master Xerrin-"

Ignoring the rest of them, I felt myself turn and quickly leave the tent. Had Grandmaster Satele actually been present I'm certain she would have sensed something wrong with me, but she wasn't. Right now, there was little the Jedi could do to stop me, especially after the losses they'd already suffered.

I had to find a way to break control of the Voss. Laresa had already done exactly as I feared by destroying Hoth. I could not imagine the pain she must be going through thinking that I'd killed her children. I had to find a way to break free of the Voss control, to stop myself before things got worse.

"Master Xerrin!" I felt my steps halt as Nadia and Doc jogged in my direction. Oh dear god, Nadia. How was I ever going to tell her what I'd done...

"Has Elliah-"

"Darth Jinobie killed him Nadia," I heard myself say.

NO! I screamed. But of course Nadia didn't hear me and the look of grief that shattered her face was heartbreaking.

"What? She... but why?"

"He tried to talk her out of taking sides in this war and she killed him for it. I'm so sorry." I stepped into Nadia touching her shoulder. "Come with me. I am gathering the Jedi who need no more deliberations and are ready to act in this war. We will fight her together."

Tears were streaming down Nadia's face. Words failed her. She just nodded vehemently. "Meet me at my shuttle," I told her, stepping past her to look at Doc.

I had been so scared he'd been killed in the explosion. He looked exhausted, a little beat up but he was alive and staring at me with no small amount of relief and a healthy dose of confusion. I felt him grab me, trying to hug me but I pulled away. His face twisted.

"What the hell is going, Xerrin? Where have you been? Why didn't you contact me?"

I had to reach him. I had too. But what message could I give him? Laresa would be inconsolable with mere words. If Doc tried to contact her she'd probably just kill him. But maybe Reide...

Tython was a powerful conduit for the lightside. It was the ancient home of the Jedi after all. Perhaps if I tried hard enough...

Sitting in the prison of my own mind I meditated. I pulled at not only the lightside of the force but my deep love for the man in front of me and prayed a single message got thru.

"I made a mistake this morning, Doc." The conversation was a distant background noise. I refused to let the lies I heard myself speak deter me. "This war requires a Jedi. I must be one."

"I... Xerrin what happened to you? Something's wrong-"

"They will need combat medics on the front line. You should see General Garza and do what you can to help. I'm sorry Doc. We'll talk more when this is over."

Something... something in Docs eyes made me think my message had reached him. But I would have no way of knowing immediately because I'd turned and walked away to continue carrying out the Voss's nefarious plan.

Revenge, vengeance, these were not the Jedi way, but I can't say the thought of shipping the Voss that had done this to me and my family to the blackest hole in Belsavis didn't comfort me a great deal.


	10. Chapter 5p1 - A Dark Heart

Chapter 5: A Dark Heart

_Voss_

_The Dark Heart_

Varan-Wyn had never approved of the Outsiders on Voss. But the Mystics had allowed it and he had great respect for the Mystics so there had been little he could about it.

Then, six months ago the Elder Mystics, the true three, had foreseen a future that could not be allowed to pass. The Mystics saw. Varan-Wyn acted. The Sith and Republic had refused to heed warnings not to venture into the Nightmare Lands. The Sith Emperor himself had used its power to bring himself.

When the Emperor had been killed some of that power had returned to the Dark heart. Sel-Makor had manifested again but Varan-Wyn and his young Mystics had anticipated it, and been ready for it. Then, they had captured the Sith Lords and Jedi who remained in the ruins, studying Voss knowledge for their own selfish aims. Varan-Wyn and his young Mystics had ripped not only knowledge from their minds but the very force itself and contained it's power in sphere that now levitated over the pit where Sel-Makor was imprisoned.

Knowledge of the Sith Emperors past and how he had had gained immortality had shown Varan-Wyn the way. The waited now only for the anniversary of his destruction of Nathema. Then their ritual would begin in earnest and the force would be destroyed, the Outsiders a threat to the Voss no more.

"Varan-Wyn!" Voss Commando Squad Leader Koth-Tull ran into the room. Varan-Wyn turned from where he stared at the floating sphere to meet the young Commando's gaze.

"Yes?"

"We have found the Outsiders. Our scouts saw them heading into the Gormak lands."

The Gormak were an abomination on Voss soil. Now that the outsiders had been driven off world because of their own primitive, warlike nature, they Voss could concentration on removing the Gormak once and for all.

"Lead your forces to attack. Bring the Outsiders to me alive."

"Yes Varan-Wyn."

The Commando quickly ran off to do his job. Varan-Wyn smiled and looked back at the sphere.

The Bounty Hunter

Voss

_Gormak Lands_

The easiest way to get to the Gormaks was to get captured by them. I had gotten information on one of their patrols so as soon as we broke out of the Nightmare lands we let them spot us. It was risky, the Gormak might have killed us first, but when we demanded to see Raklann, calming to have news about the Voss he'd mounted an offensive against they'd taken us prisoner and dragged us back to one of their camps.

We got thrown into the cell - big whop at this point. When I demanded to know how long it would be before we got to see Raklaan my response was a nice one to the temple. They left us with a guard and nothing else. I had a feeling time wasn't on our side but there wasn't a whole of a lot we could do about it.

Tana and Vanceto tried to get some rest. I didn't dare close my eyes. Soon as I did, all I saw was Mako. I missed her. I missed her so frakking much I didn't even know how I was functioning. It was like a blaster to my heart that just kept shooting, leaving me alive to deal with the seemingly never ending pain of her loss. She was gone. _Gone._ And just so some crazy frakking mystic I didn't have any beef with could destroy the force because the Republic and the Empire had picked the wrong planet to try and coerce. In between my anguish, my rage got me so hot I could barely stay inside my own skin. I paced, there was little else I could do.

"Nothing takes away that pain," I heard Kaliyo say quietly.

I glanced over at her. She was sitting with her back to the wall, looking at me. "What do you know about it?" I snapped.

"Nuff to know booze dulls it in sporadic bursts, sex only makes you forget about it until you come down, killing people feels good until you look at the corpses and remember all over again. And time..." Kaliyo smirked. "Time just tortures you until you get hard enough to live with it."

I touched my chest, glancing down at the blaster shot I'd taken that had gone through Mako. I'd always have a scar. A reminder of what I'd failed to do. My brows creased. "She was my wife. I should have protected her."

"Can't protect people, you know that Bounty Hunter. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you just loose."

I knew enough about Kaliyo to know she was a badass. Pretty hard herself. She had a reputation all of her own, and rightly earned. But there was something heavy in her voice I'd never heard before that made me think she knew exactly what I was feeling right now. I looked over at her. "How long?"

She was quiet for a long time before she answered me. "Ten years. Seven months. Five days."

Ten years. The thought of living without Mako that long was a kind of torture I couldn't even begin to deal with. I sunk down the wall and landed in the dirt next to her. "I don't know what to do with myself. I want to remember her, and I want to forget her. And I just... I just want her back."

"That's love for you. You'll survive Bounty Hunter. That's your curse. Do yourself a favor and don't bring guilt into it."

I knew she was right. I also knew it would probably be a lifetime before I forgave myself. Hopefully it would make me stronger, though if I checked out in the next few hours as selfish as the thought was, I can't say I would have been sad about. So long as Tana and Vanceto got off this rock alive, at this point, I really didn't care what my fate was.

"I can tell you shit about your sister to take your mind off of it," Kaliyo interrupted my dark thoughts.

I smirked faintly. "Why not."


	11. Chapter 5p2 - A Dark Heart

The Smuggler

_The Obsidian_

_Hutt Space_

I dropped us out of hyper space about an hour away from the start of the Voss "don't come near our planet" zone. I'd been about three seconds away from turning on our stealth cloak, turning off the comm channel and getting ready for the fun part of our little mission when an incoming transmission came in.

"Where's it coming from?" I asked Andro.

Andro looked confused. "Tython."

"Tython?" I frowned. "If that's that bitch Xerrin, I'm going force choke her through the holoimage."

Andro chuckled, following me to the main hold of my ship so I could snap on the holoterminal. Can't say I wasn't shocked when it wasn't Xerrin who appeared, but Doc.

"What the frak do you want?" I asked point blank.

Doc looked like hell. He also looked... confused. "Something's wrong with Xerrin."

I smirked. "You think?"

"No no. Listen. Just hear me all right?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You got thirty seconds."

"The day the temple exploded, that very morning, she asked me to marry her."

Okay, that was unexpected. I blinked in surprise. No way miss Jedi poster-child had started up their fling again. "Are you bullshitting me Kimble?"

"No. I got a message to meet her just outside the Twi'lek settlement. When I get there, she doesn't have her lightsaber. Xerrin _always_ has her lightsaber. Then she tells me she quit the order, and that she wanted us to try again. She wanted to get married."

Something wasn't adding up. At all. "Okay, say I believe you. What happened next?"

"It got crazy. There was an explosion, I got knocked out and when I woke up Elliah was kneeling over me asking me where Xerrin went. She disappeared. She was not on Tython, I'm positive. Elliah would have found her if she was."

I frowned. "Did you ever see who attacked you?"

"No. Never. Just explosions. When Xerrin comes back, she does a complete 180. She tells Nadia that Laresa killed Elliah, tells me we can't be together and that she's got to go to war."

"Woah... woah... hold the frak up woah," I cut him off. "Laresa did _not_ kill Elliah. Your girlfriend did. Not only did she kill Elliah and send Laresa the holo-recording to prove it but she killed the kids too."

Doc look horrified. "No."

"Yeah. You got played lover boy."

"Reide... something's wrong with her. While she was talking to me, I kept... I kept hearing her voice in my head."

I quirked a wry brow. "You heard a voice."

"No, I heard _her _voice. It was weird, like a fuzzy comm transmission. I couldn't make it all out."

I pursued my lips. "Well spit it out Kimble what did she say?"

"Tell Reide they're alive. Something about the real mystics. Blocking something, and then something else about destroying something. "

I frowned. A whole new picture was staring to shape up in my brain. "All right Doc. I'm following a lead, I'll let you know how it pans out."

"You have to help her Reide. This isn't her. I know it isn't. She wouldn't have killed those kids, and she wouldn't have killed Elliah."

"Yeah she aint real high on my priority list Kimble. But I'll follow up on this." I shut off the connection.

"You believe him Ria?" Andro asked me.

I frowned. "Maybe. Miss Goody-two shoes is acting real Sith like and despite the fact I hate her, she aint a Sith and Jedi just don't go killing people unless they can help it. Course he could just be yanking my chain." I paced a quick little line, then snapped my fingers. "Pull up the recording of Xerrin fighting Elliah."

Andro nodded, heading over to the controls and brought it up. I centered my gaze on the two fighting figures and used my cybernetic eye to clean up the image, zooming in on Xerrin.

"What are you looking for."

I canted my head. My real eye narrowed. "That's not her lightsaber."

"You sure?"

"I'm frakking positive. I know my sister. That is not the right hilt. It's not hers."

Andro frowned. "So Kimble was telling the truth. Xerrin gets snatched like your niece and nephews do. Elliah goes looking for her. He finds her, gets dead, and so do they."

A small glimmer of hope peaked my excitement level. "Kimble said tell Reide they're alive. They might not be dead, that's why Xerrin didn't show it because the bitch was lying. And the real Voss Mystics are behind whatever the hell is going on. That's why Gaden-Ko went to go see Elliah I bet you. Either to warn him, or to set up him up. Oh those Fraks." I slammed my hands on the terminal. "I never did like those multi-colored assholes."

"Nobody likes the Voss." Andro agreed. "Better call Laresa."

I shook my head. "And tell her what? She just destroyed a planet. Only three things are going to reign her back in and that's her children. We better find em before she blows up something else."

Andro nodded. "Get your crew ready, I'll take us in."

I grinned faintly at him. "Always looking for an excuse to fly my ship."

He stepped into me, gave me a quick kiss, then headed into the cockpit. I watched his cute li'll swagger for a minute then went to rally the troops.

When I got planetside, the first Voss I saw was going to get it.

The Bounty Hunter

Voss

_Gormak Lands_

I don't know how much time passed with us stuck in that cell. We saw a guard once who gave us water to share and plate of some crap I didn't even bother eating. I gotta give Kaliyo a lot of credit for helping me not wallow in my misery during our confinement. I even caught a nap, it wasn't dreamless, but it was rest and when I woke up my head was in her lap and she was watching me with an amused, yet unreadable expression on her face.

Before I could open my mouth to apologize though we heard actual voices in the hallway. We all got to our feet as two men I didn't recognize stopped in front of the bars.

"Holy frak Gormak-Zak! That's the Bosses family! Get them outta there!" One of them said.

"We did not know," the human one answered and immediately took down the barrier.

I quirked a brow at them and asked the question for us. "Who are you?"

"Names Scratch. This is Gormak-Zak. I work for Boss Jinobie."

Aunt Reide. I wasn't surprised she had an operation here on Voss. In fact, we probably should have known. Good call on our part seeking the Gormak out, I sposed.

"The entire Underworld is looking for you guys," Scratch continued. "Wait till she finds out I found yah! And hey can you leave out the whole cell part?"

Vanceto and I smirked.

"We need a comm and fast. There's information Aunt Reide has to hear," Tana told him.

"Won't need a comm," Scratch said. "Boss Jinobie is on the way."

Before any of us could react to that piece of good news, the bad shit started going down again. We'd just taken an elevator up to a second floor when an explosion reverberated throughout the complex.

Gormaks started shouting, grabbing weapons and running towards some point in front of us. Gormak-Zak grabbed one of the Gormaks, speaking in their language.

"What's he saying?" Vanceto asked Scratch.

Scratch looked scared. Real scared. "The Voss Commando's are attacking. And they brought a Mystic."

"One of their future tellers? So?" Tana frowned.

I looked over at Gormak-Zak. "We're going to need our weapons now."

Gormak-Zak nodded. A few seconds later I had a new pair of blasters and was following a line of Gormak.

It was a mess towards the front of the facility. Lot's of Gormak in the doorway and from what I could see a few squads of Voss Commando's were closing in. No way the Gormak could hold them off.

"Got reinforcements?" I asked Gormak-Zak.

He shook his head. "Not that will arrive in time."

I frowned. There was no way we could all escape. "Scratch..."

Scratch looked like he was going to have a panic attack. I snatched him by the front of his shirt and shook him. "Scratch!"

"What?!"

"You know a back way out of here?"

Scratch paused thinking. Then his eyes got huge. "Yes. Yes!"

I nodded. "All right, I'll buy you sometime. Get the hell out of here."

Tana narrowed her eyes at me. "You're outta your mind if you think I'm leaving you behind."

"He's right Veltana. Lancoro and I will stay. You take the skinny one and go find Aunt Reide. Tell her what's happened." Vanceto brought the lightsaber to life.

Tana hesitated, I knew she didn't like but I didn't intend to give her much choice. Before I could open my mouth to shout at her though, Kaliyo stepped in.

"Better work to your strengths Agent," Kaliyo said. "I'll watch their backs."

"Take him Tana. Go and find Aunt Reide," Vanceto agreed.

Tana made a frustrated noise through clenched teeth. "Fine. But you better stay alive. Both of you." She snapped her gaze to Scratch. "Let's go."

I nodded. Truth be told I was just looking forward to hurting as many of these Voss as I could. I watched Tana and Scratch take off and turned my attention back to the chaotic front line. "Let's frakking kill em all, Van," I said with clenched teeth.

Vanceto released the laugh of a warrior who loves the battlefield and twirled his saber once. "Come brother, do you want to live forever!"

_Not anymore,_ I thought.

We charged.


	12. Chapter 5p3 - A Dark Heart

The Smuggler

_Voss_

_Gormak Factory_

I had helped the Gormak's rebuild one of their factories by providing the man power and supplies for them to do it. In turn they had built a private landing pad for my ship on the roof. Andro brought the ship down for a clean landing, I slipped on my jacket and lowered the ramp, beyond ready to get to the bottom of whatever the hell these frakking Voss mystics were up too.

No sooner had I stepped off the ship then I heard a familiar shout -

"Aunt Reide!"

I whirled to see Tana running towards me, Scratch behind her. The relief that poured through me was damn near dizzying. She flung herself at me and I wrapped her up nice and tight. "Holy frak your mom's gonna be glad to see you," I whispered.

"We gotta go Aunt Reide," Tana pulled back looking at me urgently. " Lan and Vanceto are under attack by the Voss. I can explain everything on the way."

She didn't have to tell me twice. I nodded. "I got your gear in the cargo hold. Suit up." Tana ran aboard and I looked at Scratch. "Can you get a message back to the VoidHound?

Scratch shook his head. "They started blocking all communications a day ago."

I figured as much. "Akaavi, Bodwaar, you and the Gormak hold this spot until I get back. I don't care what they have to do. You get me?"

Bodwaar gave me a nice good roar and Akaavi nodded. "It will be done Captain."

Tana came charging back down the ramp, slinging her sniper rifle over her shoulder. I fell into step with her, Andro at my other side. "Okay kiddo, start talking."

The Sith

_Balmorra_

_Sobrik_

When I arrived at Sobrik the Governor of Balmorra Darth Lachris was waiting for me. I had gotten along quite well with her in the past. I was pleased that she did not challenge my power. Moreso when she kneeled before me.

"My lord," Darth Lachris said.

I motioned for her to rise and continued walking. "Report."

"We maintain a tenuous hold on the arms factory."

"And the resistance?"

"I have identified its new leader. I even have his location. But I lack the resources to capture him without endangering our hold on the factory."

I could feel her anger. The former members of the Dark Council and the Sith Military Generals had slowly begun to seek more important targets elsewhere. Lachris had been given orders to keep control of the planet with what she had, while the Republic began sending more frequent "underground" assistance to the rebels.

I was going to change that. "I intend for this to become the new front line, Darth Lachris. Corellia is lost but I have delivered a surprise that will cripple their navy. In the meantime, General Pierce will report to you. Take only what you need to strengthen the defenses around the factory, then await further orders."

Darth Lachris smiled coldly. "Yes my Lord."

I dismissed her, exiting the spaceport. This planet had value for two reasons. With the arms factory at my disposal I could kick out hundreds of my HK-24 Assassin Droids. And when I killed the resistance leader for the galaxy to see fear would run rampant. I would grant no mercy to the resistance fighters. They would become slaves to the Empire, or die.

Two dozen of my elite guard of HK-24s - the ones we had given the neural chipset too that wielded both lightsaber and blaster marched behind me. Vette walked along side them. "Vette."

She came forward to walk next to me. "Take a squad of the HK's," I said. "Get the location of the resistance leader from Darth Lachris and bring him to me."

Vette nodded. "All righty."

She went to walk off but I stopped her with a hand on her arm. She paused canting her head at me curiously as I met her eyes. "Vanceto was struck down, in cold blood by those that claim to be of the light. Use your pain and let it fuel your anger. Do not grant those who beg any mercy, do not give voice to any guilt. Soothe yourself in their deaths and remember that you loved a Sith, would do no less for you."

Vette's face hardened. She nodded tightly, snapped out a strong order to the HKs and walked away with six of them. I smiled coldly, watching her.

"My lord," a young imperial sergeant ran up to me.

"Speak," I said without looking at him.

"A Jedi is here to see you. She claims you will know her - Nadia Grell."

Elliah's little mistress. I snapped my gaze to the Sergeant. He'd been Jedi mind tricked I realized as I looked into his eyes. There was no other possible way a Jedi would have been announced instead of arrested.

A feral feeling began churning inside of me. I would turn her to the darkside now, make her an instrument in avenging Elliah's death. The small part of me that warned he would not approve was squashed so quickly. "Bring her to the administration building."

Moments later I was standing in front of a map of Balmorra, studying the positions the Republic and resistance currently occupied. Nadia walked silently into the room. I could feel her anger, her pain. As I slowly turned to face her, I realized they were directed at me.

I quirked a questioning brow at her. Nadia said nothing, just stared at me with such hatred in her eyes. Whatever she was controlling snapped and she suddenly shoved off her cloak, withdrawing her lightsaber.

I nearly laughed. "Your jealousy drives you to act against me now that he's dead?"

"You killed him!" Nadia screamed and charged at me.

Is that what Xerrin had told her? That I had struck Elliah down? Anger surged through me as I withdrew my saber, blocking her strikes.

"You have been played for a fool. I did not kill **my** husband."

I could tell my word usage only inflamed her further. "Lies! Xerrin told me what you did!" She kept attacking me, a deadly fluid style that reminded me quickly of Elliah. It brought my own pain, heightening my rage. "You made him pick sides! And when he wouldn't you took him for me! I loved him!"

Oh the stupid little tool. I could have perhaps coached her through all the volatile emotions I felt seething inside of her. I could have turned her as I turned Jaesa, using her passion and jealousy against her. It wouldn't have been hard.

Instead I merely fought her. Let her rage against me as I blocked her strikes without offering any counters of my own. In between the strikes of her blade she tried attack me with hard violent bursts of the force, slamming her power into me. I took the first blow to test her strength and it sent me back into the wall, ripping a harsh grunt from my lips.

Elliah had been right to want to guide her, she was powerful. Yet her emotions made her weak. With a cry that was more pain than rage she came at me again as I got to my feet. I continued our little dance until eventually her strength left her, her tears robbing her of her endurance. She broke her own rhythm and fell to her knees. Defeated by herself. She was not worthy.

I sheathed my lightsaber. Walking past her I stepped up to the holo terminal. It took a few simple strokes to access my ships mainframe. I played the holo recording of Xerrin and Elliah. "Watch." I commanded.

Nadia lifted her tear filled eyes. They widened. She gasped and clutched at her chest. "No. Elliah no!" Her voice broke into more sobs.

I said nothing as I watched Xerrin cut him down like he was nothing. _Elliah._ The best of us. When it was over I looked back down at the Jedi.

Nadia was shaking her head, unbelieving. "Why? Why would she..."

I withdrew my blade with one easy motion. "Because he chose me." Before she could react I shoved it through her heart. She was dead before she hit the ground. Calmly, I sheathed my blade. "Join him in the force. My gift to you," I said coldly.

I summoned the fool Sergeant she had used the force on. Then I did the same.

"You will carry her to the Republic base. They will try to stop you. You will ignore them, continue walking and allow them to shoot you. Do you understand?"

The Sergeant nodded. "I will carry her. I will not stop. I understand my lord."

I waved him away. He picked up Nadia's body, his motions almost robotic and walked out of the room. When I was alone I looked back at the holo-terminal. For several seconds I didn't move.

Then, I went to the keys again.

A different holo-recording played. Elliah, Vanceto, Lancoro, and Veltana all stood there. The recording was old. Tana was only ten. Lancoro twelve, Vanceto fifteen.

"Happy Birthday mom!" Lancoro smiled widely.

"Dad says your older than the Sith ruins. Are you that old?" Tana asked in what had always been her forthright nature.

"Mother, I have bested father in combat! Soon I will be the most powerful Sith in the Galaxy!" Vanceto puffed out his chest.

Lancoro rolled his eyes. "He's talking trash, he didn't beat me mom. And, I can pull a blaster faster."

"You cannot!"

"Can so!"

Tana shoved both her brothers. "Why are you two _soooo_ annoying?"

"As you can tell, their training is very disciplined," Elliah chuckled. "We will be home in a few days. Have a wonderful birthday Laresa. I love you."

"Love you mom!"

"I love you mother!"

"Love you!"

The recording stopped. The silence echoed around me, taunting me, mocking me. I had lost them. _I had lost them_ and they'd always been more important to me than anything... _**anything**_ else. A sound of utter rage and anguish exploded from my mouth. The darkside coursing through my veins I ripped the entire holoterminal out of its fastenings on the floor and hurled it at the wall.

It exploded but I was already marching out of the room, using the force to shield me from the debris. "Follow," I snapped at the droids. I knew where the nearest republic outpost was. And I intended to destroy it.


End file.
